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My first ice fishing rod was very basic. It was a piece of wood dowel with an ice pick in the end to jab in the ice and two pegs that came out of the side to wrap fishing line on. The line was just a braided line with a piece of monofilament line at the last two feet. When you had a bite, you simply pulled the line in hand over hand. Ice tackle today can still be that simple, but there is really some nice tackle out their.

The basic ice tackle you need to ice fish is an ice drill or chisel, an ice skimmer, a fishing pole as simple as described above and good ice. Let’s take a closer look at these basics.

The first piece of ice tackle you need is some sort of ice drill or chisel unless you think the fish are hitting on the surface! The most basic way to cut the ice is with a chisel. This may work well for opening holes in thinner ice, but an auger or drill is required for thicker ice. If you get a hand auger, keep your blades sharp and you will be able to drill holes with ease. One drawback of the hand auger is in thicker ice, you may be kneeling down on the ice and cranking. If you like to move around or fish a lot, invest in a power auger. There are several major players, Eskimo, Jiffy and Strikemaster just to mention a few. Most of these are gas augers but electric models are also available. Don’t skimp, this is the piece of ice tackle that must operate for you to fish.

Second piece of ice tackle on the list is the ice skimmer. The ice skimmer is a must for cleaning the slush out of the hole. This is such a basic piece of ice tackle, but if you don’t have it with, it can be almost impossible to fish.

The third piece of ice tackle is the rod and reel. As mentioned earlier, it can be as simple as a rod to hold the line and pull the fish in hand over hand. This actually works well, especially if you are fishing outside and the line is freezing up. As for rods and reels, you can buy all types of rods, some lighter than others depending on what you are fishing for. My brother who is an avid fisherman usually has four or five rods rigged with different lines and hook sizes. Most ice fishing is for pan fish so a light jigging rod with light line is most common, you will need to beef it up for walleye and other game fish.

Those are the basic ice tackle requirements. You will definitely want to consider some other items of ice tackle to make your ice fishing experience more fun and productive.

An ice shelter is a must piece of ice tackle in cold weather. With just a small heater, you can fish all day in comfort while keeping you equipment from freezing up. Many of these ice shelters are based on a sled design, allowing you to load all your gear in the sled and pull it behind you.

Another nice piece of ice tackle to have is a depth finder. Just like in summer fishing, a depth finder will help you fish more efficiently. Many of these units can read through the ice. A GPS is also a nice luxury item, once you find the spot, record the coordinates and hang on to it.

If you haven’t been ice fishing before, get yourself some of the basic ice tackle and give it a try. In many areas, you can rent an ice shelter all set up and ready to go with all the ice tackle you need, even pre heated with the holes drilled! With the right ice tackle, you will love ice fishing.

Find a complete selection of ice tackle and other outdoor supplies at gearshoponline.com

Spring and summer are most closely associated with fishing. Standing in the middle of a stream on a sunny day tossing out a favorite fly is a scene shown in many a movie. But a dedicated angler will hardly want to stow away the rod and reel for months on end. Not when they could go ice fishing.

But ice fishing requires a little different gear to go along with modified conditions and technique. Even apart from the obvious differences in clothing there are several items that the summertime fisherman doesn’t usually pack.

An ice auger is a foremost requirement. To get to the fish you have to get your line and lure into the water. That means drilling through what is sometimes as much as a foot of ice. Even if you could get through that with an ax you would be very likely to dump yourself in the water. An auger is a drill built specially for the purpose of making clean, safe holes in ice with minimal effort.

Many are hand powered, often on a pole. You turn the crank and you’re in business. But, today, fishermen want to spend more time fishing and less time drilling. Gas-powered augers are increasingly popular. Though heavier to carry, they cut down the time and effort required to make that hole so you can get to the fishing.

Even the basic gear is a little different for ice fishing, though. Ice fishing rods have specially designed guides that continue to work well in low temperatures. They resist ice build up that will snag a line. The reels have to be designed to continue to work smoothly under freezing conditions. Line used for ice fishing has to withstand a much harsher environment and still remain flexible.

Tackle gets special treatment when it’s intended to be used for ice fishing, as well. Fly fishing takes on a whole new meaning when it’s done by plunking a lure through a 12 inch hole in the ice. For one thing, since fish go after a different type of insect in the winter than they will in the summer, the flies are designed to better match the natural differences.

Making room for some safety gear is highly recommended when planning an ice fishing trip. Even something as simple as an ice pick can save your life.

Ice is like glass in one way – it’s highly unpredictable when subjected to stress. If it fractures underneath your stool and dumps you in the water, an ice pick in a handy pocket or sheath can provide a way to get back out again. Some are designed to be worn on a line around the neck, which can be a lifesaver. Even with gloves, pulling yourself out by hand is much, much harder.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a little comfort while you’re braving the cold to land a few fish. An ice shanty can make for the perfect tent to get out of the weather and store your gear away from the wind or snow.

Don’t leave home to go ice fishing without the proper gear. It will give you more time for angling and increase your catch.

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When you face the myriad choices of rods available to the modern fisherman, it’s amazing to think that primitive humans made their own gear by hand and still managed to put food on the table.

Now you can find rods specialized for just about everything you can imagine; rods with spinning or casting specialties to bamboo rods just for fly fishing.

All this variety isn’t just about targeting the lucrative hobbyist market. Over the years as humans have accumulated more knowledge about specific fish species what they eat, where they congregate, and what catches their attention we’ve turned that knowledge to our advantage, developing rod, reel, and lure to attract the fish we’re after. It’s our ability to create, use, and adapt tools that helped humankind survive during the centuries when fishing as a survival skill. Why should we stop now?

Different types of rods.

Dozens of choices of fishing rods are available ice fishing rods, surf rods, telescopic rods. They are designed for different conditions and locations. Some of the most popular choices are spin casting rods, spinning rods, fly rods, sea rods, and carbon fiber poles.

Spin casting rods are among the most common rods in use today. They feature a spin casting reel mounted above the handle. Although the names are similar, spin casting rods are not spinning rods.

Spinning rods, usually made of fiberglass or graphite, are very light and very long (five to eight feet). The spinning reel on these models sits underneath the rod instead of on top. Spinning rods are very popular for most types of sport fishing, including bass. If you’re using live bait or when trolling, spinning rods are an excellent choice.

Thin and flexible, fly rods are designed to cast an artificial fly that skims the surface of the water (not live bait, which sinks). The fly itself is a hook tied with feathers or fur designed to look like a real fly or other insect. Modern fly rods are typically made of fiberglass, carbon, or graphite. They’re designed to use the weight of the line to control the fly (instead of the old-fashioned weighted lure). Fly fishing is well-known as a highly skilled sport, since the movement of the fly itself is an essential component of luring the fish.

Sea rods, as the name suggests, are intended for ocean use and designed for the larger fish found in deep waters. Long, thick, and very heavy, sea rods are designed to stand up to the strong fight you might find in larger ocean fish. Sea rods can even be more specialized, designed specifically for certain types of deep sea fish such as sharks, marlin, eels, and so on. Unless you plan to do ocean fishing on a regular basis, you’re not likely to need a sea rod.

High-tech carbon fiber poles are used mostly in Europe. The carbon fiber composition allows for very accurate positioning of the bait and larger catches of fish. In Europe, it’s not unusual to see fishermen using carbon fiber poles haul in two hundred fish in a five-hour match.

Most pro bass fishermen use spinning rods between six and eight feet long. If you look at rods used in competitions, you’ll notice that most rods you see are of this type and length.

Bait casting reels provide good control and accuracy. They are best with weighted lines, weighted at 10 pounds or heavier. They don.t work well in high wind, since when casting into the wind they are prone to snarl or backlash.

Frank DeVito has been fishing in Florida for over 30 years and enjoys helping teach children as well as adults the tips and techniques they need to know to turn a fishing experience into a catching experience. He also also the creator of the website http://www.sportfishingfl.com

Winter walleye fishing can be just as exciting as spring, summer and fall walleye fishing. The only difference with winter fishing is that you will need some equipment that you otherwise would not need during the other seasons.

Ice fishing is done when the ice is thick so you will need some basic tools to help you break through the ice to reach the fish. Before you even attempt to break the ice, you want to use a fish locator to locate a school. Your list is going to include some things that you can make your self or buy from a sporting goods store.

The first thing you are going to do is use the fish locator to find the fish. This might be a simple process or it could take a while depending on how well you know the water you will be fishing. Once you find the right location, set up the ice shanty if you are going to have protection from the elements. If you plan to be outside fishing all day or for many days in a roll, the ice shanty is ideal. The heater inside will also help keep you a little warmer so you do not need so many layers of clothing.

Set up the ice shanty and turn on the heater. Get the ice drill ready to make the hole. The hole should be at least six inches in diameter. You can drill more than one hole inside the ice shanty to run two lines if it is large enough with enough walking room. This is the reason that many anglers make their own ice shanties, so that they can make them as big as they will need them. Two holes inside makes it nicer to fish. If you can only get one hole inside, try one hole inside and one outside in view of a window in the shanty that you can view the tip up from easily.

The ice pick is going to be used to remove any jagged edges or make the hole a little bigger. Once the holes are drilled and ready to go, get the fishing gear ready. Set up your stool in front of the hole and set your rod. Use the bait that works the best for cold-water fishing in your area. If you are using artificial bait, you have to make sure that other anglers have had luck in the area with the same bait. Check with others on the ice. Drop the line into the water through the hole and add the tip up. Then do the next hole if you are going to have two rods.

Keep as quiet as possible while ice fishing. The ice is thick but the walleye can feel vibration. You want to attract the fish and not scare them away. There are some possible lures and baits that you might want to keep in your tackle box for ice fishing.

Fishing done either for recreation (as a part of one’s hobby or pastime) or done for a source of living requires the right kind of tool to make profit out of it. Judging by stone inscriptions, fishing rods go back to ancient Egypt, China, Greece and Rome.

Prior to widespread availability of synthetic materials, such as fiberglass and graphite composites, fishing rods were typically made from split Tonkin bamboo. A fishing rod or a fishing pole is a tool used to catch fish, usually in conjunction with the sport of angling. (Sustenance and commercial fishing usually involves nets).

A length of fishing line is attached to a long, flexible rod or pole: one end terminates in a hook for catching the fish.

Types of fishing rods :1) Carbon fibre pole : These high-tech poles are commonly used for coarse fishing in Europe, they are made using a variety of different qualities of carbon fibre which is reflected in the price, the prices range from about GBP 100 to GBP 5,000.

Although cheaper models can be purchased from local tackle dealers for about GBP 50. Varying in length from 5 meters through to the longest at about 18.5 meters, they allow very precise positioning of the bait.

2) Fly rods : Fly Fishing rods are long, thin, flexible fishing rods designed to cast a fly usually consisting of a hook tied with fur, feathers, foam, or other lightweight material.

Originally made of split bamboo, most modern fly rods are constructed from man-made composite materials, including fiberglass, carbon/graphite, or graphite/boron composites.

3) Ultra-light rods : These rods are used to fish for smaller species, they provide more sport with larger fish, or to enable fishing with lighter line and smaller lures.

4) Ice Fishing rods : These are typically very short spinning rods, varying between 24 and 36 inches in length, used to fish through holes in the cover ice of frozen lakes, rivers and ponds.

Rod specifications :1) Power : Also known as “power value” or “rod weight.” Rods may be classified as Ultra-Light, Light, Medium-Light, Medium, Medium-Heavy, Heavy, Ultra-Heavy, or other similar combinations. Power is often an indicator of what types of fishing, species of fish, or size of fish a particular pole may be best used for.

Ultra-light rods are suitable for catching small bait fish and also pan fish, or situations where rod responsiveness is critical. Ultra-Heavy rods are used in deep sea fishing, surf fishing, or for heavy fish by weight.

2) Action : “Action” refers to the responsiveness of the rod to bending force, and the speed with which the rod returns to its neutral position. An action may be slow, medium, fast, or a combination (e.g. medium-fast.) Fast Action rods flex most in the tip section. Slow rods flex more towards the butt of the rod.

Hence keeping in mind the types of fishing rods available in the market along with their various specifications one has to be really careful before placing an order for a fishing pole.

The easiest way of selecting a fishing rod for oneself is to know first the type of fish that one would be fishing so that he can easily eliminate the other varieties and select the one that suits his choice of fish the best.

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